Vegetarian Booker Gives Turkey-Brining Advice

Democratic Senator Cory Booker, left, of New Jersey, fist bumps Chad Griffin, President of the Human Rights Campaign, following the passage of the Employment Non Discrimination Act, which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Nov. 7, 2013.

He will replace your ruined breakfast. He will intervene on vexing commutes in the city where he is no longer mayor. He will tell you how to prepare the Thanksgiving turkey — and yet! — the man doesn’t even eat meat.

He is Cory Booker, The Most Helpful Senator In The World, and he’s buzzing through Twitter posters’ problems like a home chef’s electric carving knife.

Booker, 44, the former mayor of Newark, New Jersey’s most populous city, was elected last month to complete the U.S. Senate term of fellow Democrat Frank R. Lautenberg, who died on June 3 at 89. Booker built a Twitter following of 1.4 million on offers to personally shovel for snowbound Newark residents, a recap of how he rescued his neighbor from her burning apartment and updates on everything from pothole filling to traffic-light outages.

This morning, user @locaines complained: “Could you not do construction on Washington Street during rush hour traffic in the morning? I mean, really. @Cory Booker” He replied with a city phone number. User @ginalou chimed in: “My English muffin was burnt this morning. I mean, really Cory Booker.” He replied: “Give me your address & I’ll send a replacement. #Here2Serve.”

Another follower, @C2thB, tested him further: “How long do I brine my turkey?” The answer from Booker, a vegetarian: “It depends on the size of the turkey. But generally for a whole turkey it ranges from 12-24 hrs. Enjoy!”

He didn’t disclose how he came upon the wisdom. The tip led some followers to speculate that Booker may be the personification of Google Inc. That may or may not be. One fact is clear: He isn’t all-powerful. When @LosOsorio asked whether he could “fix” the horrible weather in Washington today, Booker replied: “Snow I can’t.”